Where The Fire Burns The Strongest
by Wolley Niar
Summary: Humans and demons are maybe not so different but the demon world is full of taboos. About Chrono's and Aion's early life.


_I don't own Chrono Crusade._

_I own my characters. _

**My first story. I'm trying to write it at my best so I hope you like it. Please, let me know the mistakes I do 'cause I'm not English and my mother language is really different. This is a try but I _will_ end it because I don't like to leave things behind. Maybe it'll take a while. **

**As you're going to undestand, it's about Chrono and Aion's relationship and the demon world's society. It starts when Chrono is born. It's not _realistic _so don't argue with my choices, though constructive criticism is welcomed. **

**Feel free to ask any questions. **

**p.s. The year in the human world is about 1712. **

__

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!  
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;  
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,  
And the river flows like a stream of glass;  
When the first bird sings and the first bud opens,  
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—  
I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing  
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;  
For he must fly back to his perch and cling  
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;  
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars  
And they pulse again with a keener sting—  
I know why he beats his wing!

I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,  
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—  
When he beats his bars and he would be free;  
It is not a carol of joy or glee,  
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,  
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings—  
I know why the caged bird sings!

_**Sympathy, by Paul Laurence Dunbar**_

Chapter One – Early morning

Doctor Tared grunted tiredly as his office's door opened once again.

He was tired, if not sick of his job. He sought to leave everything behind and go the most distant as possible. Really go, not disappearing for a couple days and then, come back. Go away and come across true love.

He had read a lot of books about it. _Human_ books, obviously. No demon was enough sorry to write about love and no demon was surely going to read about it. Tared hardly cared. He liked books and read them and thought human beings were good at writing.

He had stolen them from old libraries down the human world. He had hidden them everywhere. He would have been executed for ignominy if someone ever found about his little passion.

Yareli, a colleague of his, stepped in. She was a stunning fellow but lacked on friendliness. He heard the children calling her "miss. Frown" for she used to scowl. She really liked to brag about her troubles and boss around.

Though when the _real_ superiors came, her eyes didn't dare to touch their and she's smile and quietly fulfil their needs. Tared himself wasn't brave. To stand up to them meant a little more than loosing your job and he did cared about his life.

Yareli approached the desk. Her wings were angrily flapping around. The doctor welcomed her, using his calmest voice. «Why, good evening, Yareli».

Her eyes shined dangerously. «You bastard», she spat, «I hate you! I've been making up stories to cover you! I would have already slashed your head off if it couldn't kill me!»

«I see. So, how's work? Anything happened?»

She growled. «Something happened, yes. Another one is born. He's not with me because I thought you hadn't still come back».

«Oh? Really? How is he? Is he strong? How does he look like?»

«How is he», she stressed, «is what _you_ tell me. I bring him».

«Aw, my holiday is still not at its end, come on!»

«I bring him», she repeated, her voice growing deeper and angrier. She left slamming the door. The silence instantaneously refreshed the room. He hated confusion. And even more, he hated demons who created it. Therefore, he hated the majority of them.

He would have been born as human. Indeed, they lived less, they lived more painfully but they were able to do what they liked to. There was no freedom in the demon world. The only one was probably the right to live. Or maybe not. It was easily taken away.

Two days before, two young demons were killed because they dared to complain about the lack of liberty. Tared worshipped them. He couldn't bring himself to rebel and he was sure it would have been a waste of time. Insurgents never won.

He heard Yareli's footsteps growing louder.

Yes, he had been lucky. He was a weak one and weak demons couldn't be possibly be part of the army. They had chosen his job. He was controller by them, indeed, but soldiers were unable to do anything but fight. If Lady Luck was on your side, you turned in a general. But then, what? Spend your life killing rebels and protecting a queen that did nothing but produced new demons?

No thanks.

He preferred to check little demons and argue with Yareli.

«Voila», she snarled, slamming the door open. She was carrying a demon child.

The childhood was utterly different in the human race and in the demon one. Tared had researched. Demons reached an autonomy of mind and body in few months while humans needed lots of years. At the very first, a demon baby was blind, unable to fly or walk, his little wings cramped and a brain incapable to undestand his surroundings.

In two weeks, eyes would see, legs would walk, wings would fly and the brain was experienced enough to grasp the world a little. Tared supposed the little time demons needed to grow was originated from the lack of parents. No parents meant no defence. Humans owned parents.

He smiled. «Thanks. Did you find his trainer?»

«Yes», her voice grew calmer. She placed the baby on the bed. «They hadn't still met. This one still needs a name».

«Who?»

«What?»

«Which one have you chosen?»

«Ah. Aion».

Tared's face glimmered. «Good choice! He's kind of genial that boy».

«Genial?» She smirked. «He's going to get himself killed. He always stands for himself. That stupid. He doesn't know when to talk and when to shut up».

«And then why have you chose him?»

«He was the only one alone», she absentmindedly replied. «While you check him and choose the name, I'll be going to fetch Aion. Is this okay?»

He wasn't supposed to answer and she left. He couldn't stand that woman. He turned to the baby on the bed who was eyeing him with expressionless scarlet eyes. He was too young to undestand what he was going to say. But Tared loved to chat and he was sure it was good to listen to words. It helped the brain to develop knowledge faster.

«How are you doing, little one?»

No answer.

«Very well. I can't use any of the human technologies to check you. First of all, let's see how your horns are doing, little one».

Tared approached him and leaned on him, searching with his hands trough his hair. He found them straight away. They were bigger than average and glowing of a painful red. It was indeed painful the first times to draw astral energy and only thanks to a substance the demon body produced the pain was reduced to an annoying prickling.

«You're fine. Well, I can't do much more. They say that the a demon's horns are fine, then the demon is fine. But I _can't_ believe it». His tone was bitter. «They believe to know everything. I see enough demons die without having lost their horns to say it's not _only_ that. Those bastards. Stupid idiots. They think we are indestructible but we are not. Sometimes I think we're even weaker than human beings!»

He sighed, then turning to the demon. «Well, let's see at least how your muscles are working». He picked him up, placing him on the ground. The baby staggered and his wings moved to help his balance. He managed to stand without help with some effort. He tried to walk. Little by little, he managed too. Little by little.

«How strong you are, little one!»

The child looked up to him and lost his concentration. He fell on the ground. Tared heaved him up, laying him again on the bed. He grabbed his small face between his face. The skin was cold and slippery. «Well, you're all right, I think. Now, I have to think of a name. Which one do you like the most?»

It was funny such a weak demon like him was the one in charge to choose the name. After the horns, the name was probably the most important thing to a demon. It wasn't only a matter of calling but it was what fashioned the identity and chained the mind. The one who ended picking the name was the director of that particular mind, given he was stronger.

In older times, it happened to be quite the problem. Stronger demons kidnapped the babies and grew them up to soldiers in their own armies. When they got too cheeky, they started wars and killed. It hadn't been a problem until a foolish demon decided to slaughter a whole human village.

The human race wasn't even aware of their presence until then. That occurrence was the beginning of the endless war between humans and demons and no one remembered why the started in the first place anymore. Tared, one of the weakest demons, was chosen to be the one to pick the name.

A wise choice.

«Hm, let's see… the last one was Kareni… I don't have really anything on mind…» He looked down to the baby demon. «Hm, you look like… ah! That one is perfect. Do you like Chrono? He was a funny kid. Too bad he died. He said too much and was killed».

He leaned closer. «Come on. Say it. Chrono. C-h-r-o-n-o».

No answer.

«You have to say it. Come on, Yareli'll get angry if you don't. Chrono».

«Ah?»

Tared sighed. «No, not ah. You have to say _Chrono_. Chrono!»

«C», he paused, blinking. «Hmm, ono?»

«Yes, you're almost there! Chrono».

«Rono».

«Add a c. Come on. Chrono! Chrono».

«Chrono».

Tared smile and stroked his cheek. «You're a good kid. Intelligent, I think. You'll be fine with Aion. He doesn't seem friendly but he cares a lot when he wants to. Be sure to not be killed, ok?»

«Chrono, Chrono!»

«Yup, that's your name. It's funny… you know what? I think I know why I've chosen it. Demons can sense powers, you know? I can sense yours too. You have "time". Quite the powerful one, I see. And you know what Chrono means? _Time_. It's perfect!»

Demons were able to recognize someone else by their aura too. Everyone owned a different one. And everyone, saw it in a different way. Doctor Tared smelled, Yareli discerned the concentration. In Aion's case was a matter of coldness and heat, while Chrono spotted shades. The one of the man in front of him was painted in a dull grey.

Yareli was a little black. He identified her as she got closed to the office. Another aura was beside her. It was multi-coloured. His own was colourful too but darker. That one sparkled of light. As the door opened for the third time, Chrono noticed the owner of that rainbow appearance. A demon maybe few weeks older than him with white hair and blue eyes.

«So, have you chosen the name?»

«Yes. Chrono. Do you like it?»

«Like a name can be good or wrong», she replied in a snarl. «How is he?»

«Strong and intelligent».

«I don't want to take care of _him_», started another voice, higher and full of pride. It was Aion's. «I don't want to take care of Chrono».

Tared smirked. Chrono blinked. Yareli scowled at his words and slapped him right on his face. «You little fuck, I've already told you to shut up, right? You have to stop it».

Aion didn't look too damaged by the strike. Instead, he showed his small fangs. «I don't want to. I don't care about what you think».

«And why you don't want to, young Aion?»

The child turned to him. «Because I've seen. I don't want to pick him up when he trips. She's the bitch who does the work, right? Why can't-»

Yareli slapped him again, harder. He stumbled on the ground. «Stop it, Aion. _Stop it_. Your behaviour is deplorable. You do what I tell you, that's end of it!» She turned to Tared. «Try once again to leave and I swear I tell everyone how much you love human beings».

Lastly, she turned to Chrono, her voice growing angrier and more ferocious each seconds. «You try to do what Aion tells you and I rip _both_ of your arms away from your body. Am I clear!?»

Chrono did not answer. She approached him, reached for his arm and pulled him. The baby demon fell on the ground and did not have the time to stand because she dragged him. She couldn't care less if he was walking or rolling on the hard floor. Aion followed them with a sour expression and rubbing his sore cheek.

* * *

Aion clicked his tongue.

It was his way to show everyone how angry he was. Chrono didn't understood and kept on staring at him from the other side of the room. They had been shoved there from few hours. Aion was beginning to wonder how that demon was able to do it. He could swear he hadn't blinked once.

«Stop staring at me», he eventually snapped. «Stop!»

Instead, the baby began to stand. He managed in ten minutes to balance himself. The next ten minutes he slowly approached Aion who growled back.

«How _sad_. You're not able to walk», he hissed. His expression darkened and he crossed his arms on his chest.

Chrono sat on the floor in front of him. Aion glared. The child pointed his tiny little hands towards him and said: «Aion». His tone was firm. Then, his hand retreated and he leaned in on his chest. «Chrono».

The older demon blinked. Then, he broke out laughing. It was just too funny. He was telling him his name like it was a matter of life. «Come on, now you say: I'm stupid».

«I'm stupid».

Aion smirked. «Aw, you're stupid?»

Chrono pointed again his finger towards him. «Aion. Stupid».

«Now you begin to offend me? Didn't you hear what Yareli said?»

«Yareli…» He paused. He still didn't know the words he needed. He pointed to the door and mimicked an angry frown. «Yareli?»

Aion laughed again. «Yes, that's Yareli! A bitch. I can't stand her. He's always angry».

«Angry?»

«Yes, angry». He scowled. «This is angry. Cross».

Chrono imitated his expression and repeated: «angry. Cross».

«You know what? I changed my mind. You're too funny, Chrono!»

His eyes glowed with comprehension at the sound of his own name. He blinked. «Aion?»

«You know, the doctor said my name means evil. You what does that mean?» He stood up, smirking down the little one. «It mean I'm evil! Ah, ah, ah!»

Chrono followed him. He stood, balancing his body with his wings. Then, his hand leaned on Aion's shoulder, a plain expression in his cherry eyes. «Aion. Stupid».

The reply was a snappy glare.

* * *


End file.
